News Video
View multiple news interviews and feature stories about America’s Grow-a-Row by clicking this link.
Family Circle Magazine – April 2011
Read the latest article about America’s Grow-a-Row in Family Circle Magazine, April 2001 familycircle4-2011.indd
Chip Receives Chamber of Commerce “Good Neighbor” Award
Congratulations to Chip for being awarded the “Good Neighbor Award” by the Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce at their Annual Awards Breakfast on November 11th, 2010. “The Annual Awards Breakfast is a chance to acknowledge the best of the best. The Chamber is honored to put on this event each year,” says Chris Phelan, Chamber President. This is a well-deserved award and we are thrilled for Chip and grateful to the Chamber for publicly acknowledging his work and the work of the other very worthy recipients, as well. Congratulations to everyone!
Governor Christie Visits America’s Grow-a-Row!
What a Day!
Governor Chris Christie Volunteers at America’s Grow-a-Row
Chip’s Interview on Comcast Newsmakers
Great interview of Chip about America’s Grow-a-Row by Jill Horner of Comcast Newsmakers – June 7th, 2010.
Blue Jean Bash a Smashing Success!
Americaʼs Grow-a-Row held its first Blue Jeans Bash fund raiser recently, where the Women of the Americaʼs Grow-a-Row Produce Runway 2010 paraded down the catwalk wearing assorted outfits that were made out of real produce and seeds.
The fashion show designer was Brenda Greenfield, who said this was a way for her to volunteer for the Americaʼs Grow-a-Row program. Her efforts assisted in the eventʼs success this year, as over $17,000 was raised that will be used to help plant, maintain and harvest produce to be donated to those suffering from hunger across New Jersey.
The main sponsor was Artisan Wealth Management, LLC, and was hosted by Meredith and Jeremy Compton at the Peaceful Valley Orchards Farm Market in Pittstown. In 2009, the Americaʼs Grow-a-Row team of 950 volunteers donated almost 320,000 pounds of produce to those in need across the Garden State. For more information about Americaʼs Grow-a-Row program, contact Chip Paillex at 908-331-2962 or visit americasgrowarow.org.
Check out the photos from the event, compliments of Dee Maglio Photography here – they are awesome!
Gov. Christie Salutes Chip Paillex as an “Everyday Hero”
From the Governor’s Inauguration Website: “As part of the 2010 Christie-Guadagno Inauguration theme, “Rebuilding New Jersey Together: Pride through Service and Community,” we’re honoring New Jersey’s own heroes – the men and women whose service to their communities is making a real difference. Over the past few weeks, citizens like you from around the Garden State took the time to nominate their everyday heroes. We received hundreds of nominations, representing a cross section of men and women from all corners of the state who quietly serve others and their community. “The interest in the New Jersey Heroes program was greater than we ever expected and we were overwhelmed by the excitement with which people offered up their friends, relatives and neighbors for this simple honor,” said New Jersey Inaugural 2010 Committee Chairman Todd Christie. “The stories shared with us over the past weeks have been inspiring and humbling and are truly a reminder that anyone can do amazing things for others and their communities. Choosing only five people out of all the extraordinary nominees to represent this program was an immense challenge. I offer my thanks to all who were nominated for their work and dedication to their communities. New Jersey is a better place because of these men and women.” The five nominees selected will represent all of the nominees at the three inaugural events on Tuesday, January 19, 2010 and were selected by a committee headed up by New Jersey’s future First Lady, Mary Pat Christie. They are: Carolyn B. T. Wallace of Newark: Forty years ago, Carolyn Wallace and her late husband, James, founded the International Youth Organization (IYO) in Newark as a way to help youths from in and around Newark. Since then, Wallace has dedicated her life to helping Newark’s children and teens, creating an organization that transforms lives through an emphasis on education, community service and personal empowerment. As one person who nominated her said, she transforms “instead of seeing a brick wall at every turn, the young people at IYO find a path to a healthy, rewarding future.” Dave Girgenti of Cherry Hill: In 2007, livelong South Jersey resident Dave Girgenti created Wish Upon A Hero, a website that empowers anyone to be a hero. The largest social helping site in the world, Wish Upon A Hero allows anyone who visits the site to either make or grant a wish. Wishes range from seemingly small requests, such as clothing and groceries, to near impossible dreams, like Lasik surgery for an Iraq veteran and reuniting a family that had been separated for thirteen years. Wish Upon A Hero uses social media and the internet to harness the spirit of charity and goodwill around the world and channels that spirit into the powerful medium of granting wishes. To date, over 48,000 wishes have been granted. Tammy Evans-Colquitt of Pennsauken: Ten years ago, Tammy Evans-Colquitt created a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping improve the image and self-esteem of economically disadvantaged women and men. Her organization, Image and Attitude, provides women transitioning from welfare to work with professional clothing and job-interviewing skills. Image and Attitude also works with men transitioning from incarceration to the workplace. Tammy and her organization have helped thousands of people in the Camden County area. Jim Benedict of Freehold: Jim Benedict started and runs a lunch kitchen out of a hall donated by St. Peters Church in Freehold. For over ten years, Jim has been cooking and serving hot meals to approximately 200 people three days a week. He does this with no formal funding and is totally dependent on donations to keep the kitchen afloat. Chip Paillex of Pittstown: Chip Paillex is the founder of America’s Grow-A-Row, a nonprofit organization that seeks to feed the hungry through the cultivation and donation of fresh produce to local food banks. The idea originated in 2004 when he learned his local food pantry was seeking donations of fresh fruits and vegetables. Upon hearing this, Chip began his own garden and working with local farmers to secure the donation of surplus produce from their farms as well. In 2008, with the help of nearly 700 volunteers, America’s Grow-A-Row was able to donate 225,000 pounds of produce to area food pantries.”
Readers Digest Applauds Chip’s Work
“A mortgage banker, Chip Paillex had never planted so much as a window box until he moved to rural Pittstown, New Jersey, seven years ago. Sur- rounded by working farms, he quickly caught the grow-it-yourself bug and leased a 30-by-30-foot plot. One weekend, he planted tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, and eggplant—enough to feed his family of four for the summer, or so he thought.
He ended up with so much pro- duce, he couldn’t give it away. But he found a local food pantry, and by the time he delivered his last harvest, he had donated 120 pounds of fresh vegetables.”
Shop-Rite Gleaning Program
NJN News covers the very successful Shop-Rite gleaning program on their September 29th, 2008 broadcast.
NORWESCAP Outstanding and Dedicated Service Award
Cheerios Box for Super Hunger Fighting Kid
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